The New York Yankees have been without Aaron Judge for quite some time, but his recovery seems to be heading in a positive direction.
As reported by Bryan Hoch of MLB.com (via X), “Aaron Judge underwent scans and has been cleared for light activity, including outdoor running and upper body resistance, Aaron Boone said.”
Aaron Judge’s Dismantled 2026 Campaign
GettyAaron Judge of the New York Yankees has an updated injury status
Before 34-year-old Judge was sidelined, he was slashing .248/.375/.533 with a .908 OPS and 17 homers through 59 games. He registered 10 triples and 38 RBIs.
His last game appearance was on May 31 when New York faced the Athletics.
When his injury was revealed to the public, fans erupted with concerns, rightfully so. Judge has long been one of the primary faces of the franchise — losing him could have been detrimental to the ballclub’s season.
Despite the dramatic loss, the Yankees are still 64-50 overall and are placed second in the American League East. They’re just behind the Tampa Bay Rays (67-46).
Nonetheless, it’s still hard to imagine the organization without Judge, even though he’s been out of commission for an extended period.
Judge’s last injury report was released on Aug. 4. The report stated, “Still no date set for additional imaging, which will determine when Judge can resume baseball activities. Club is “still very optimistic” Judge will return, general manager Brian Cashman said Aug. 3.”
All things considered, he appears to be on the upward trajectory. It’s been a slow-healing process, but it’s still progress — that should be warmly welcomed.
As expected, his latest update provides a wave of hope for his loyal fans. This is one major step in the right direction.
Where the Yankees Currently Stand
GettyAaron Judge of the New York Yankees is on an upward trajectory
As mentioned, New York is sitting in second place in the AL East. They are trailed by the Boston Red Sox (61-51), the Baltimore Orioles (5-58) and the Toronto Blue Jays (53-61).
In the Major Leagues as a whole, the Yankees stand in sixth, following the Chicago Cubs (65-49), the Rays, the Atlanta Braves (68-45), the Los Angeles Dodgers (69-45) and the Milwaukee Brewers (70-43).
New York is approaching its series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. ET. This will round out the homestand at Yankee Stadium.
On Friday, Aug. 7, New York will host the Atlanta Braves for another three-game stretch, soon followed by the Seattle Mariners.
The IL has claimed several victims from Yankee Stadium throughout the season, but the franchise has been faring quite well in the meantime.
Sitting on the IL alongside Judge right now are names such as Giancarlo Stanton, Carlos Rodón, Carlos Lagrange and Cody Bellinger, along with a handful of others.
As the Yankees play out the remainder of their summer schedule, pressure is on to build momentum and make a strong run in the postseason, which will arrive quickly.
Anything is possible in baseball, for better or for worse. But with Judge’s latest update, things are looking quite positive for the New York organization.
New York Yankees Provide New Aaron Judge Update Before Cardinals Game